Dane in Dubbo

"What is Dubbo?" That was the first question 24-year-old Maria Goltermann had when she found out she would be visiting Australia from Denmark. Maria has 12 weeks to learn all she can about Dubbo, its visitor offerings and the Australian lifestyle.

In the freezing cold, I Friday went to Dubbo’s big pride: The Taronga Western Plains Zoo! But with a coat, scarf, gloves and boots nothings too cold.
I have to admit thought that I was too big of a chicken to go around in one of the carts.

Everybody tells me I should be used to the cold weather, but in my 24 years, I never got used to it…

However, that doesn’t matter when you can drive around in your car! And by the time you start watching the tigers, rhinos and all their friends, you don’t even think about the weather anymore.
Anyway, I was so excited to finally be going to the famous Taronga Zoo and I was so lucky to be able to say hello to Wiley the ring-tailed opossum and the 3 year old and 8 kg. koala, Leuca, at the zoo’s Education Centre. Yes, they were as cute up close as they look from afar, and if you have the chance to go to the Education Centre and meet some of the animals, DO IT! It just makes the experience even more unique.

Saying hello to the zoo residents

Next, I jumped in the car with my local guide and went for our adventure around the park. I was really amazed about how big the park was, and quickly understood that it wouldn’t just be a few hours walk around the zoo as it is back home.

I would definitely suggest to plan the trip around the park so that you at least see some of the animals being fed. I saw the wild dogs at the zoo entrance… and apparently when getting fed a kangaroo leg that is not a time they want to pose for my blog photos.

Dinner Time! Chilling with the hippos

My favourite part of the park was the Australian park, it was pretty awesome getting so close to the local animals. I wasn’t as cool as some of the children that got really close to the animals, one step at the time…
In my part of the world, we don’t walk out in our backyard and find a large wild animal starring at us, like people here would find rather normal.
My host family think it’s really amusing to scare me with snake stories, as they were probably one of my biggest worries coming here, but lucky enough for me, I’m here in the winter, so they can just keep on talking ;)

Connecting with a wallaby and her joey

Anyway… The snakes I saw at the zoo were in cages, and the kangaroos and wallabies did not kick or try to fight me! Maybe next time I’ll try to get closer…
Because I will definitely come back and I now understand why Dubbo is so proud of the Zoo.

I can’t wait for my next adventure in the Great Western Plains. I feel really lucky I’m able to explore this region, I think tourist are missing out not coming here.